Smoke that Tom: Turkey Hunting with a Muzzleloading Shotgun

For the ultimate challenge, pick up a traditionally styled flintlock or percussion smoothbore. Several manufacturers still sell these guns, including Traditions, Davide Pedersoli and others. There are custom options as well.

A smoothbore musket, like those produced by custom gunmaker Rick Anthony, is a true multi-purpose firearm capable of shooting a load of shot for turkey, fowl or small game, or a patched round ball for large game. Smoothbores in .58, .62 or .75 calibers hold more than enough shot for turkeys. A .62-caliber smoothbore is roughly the same bore size as a modern 20-gauge.

Buy now: Traditions Muzzleloaders

Many shooters go for a production or custom side-by-side double gun. Most of these guns feature a caplock-style ignition for more reliable performance in bad weather, and their double barrels provide a quick follow-up shot, should one be needed.

Most of these traditionally styled guns have fairly open chokes so that shot cards and wads can be pushed down the barrel. That can be a benefit when hunting small game, upland birds or waterfowl, but to kill a wild turkey, you’ll need to keep your shots within 20 to 30 yards. Don’t expect time for a reload if you miss. 

If you like the idea of a one-shot challenge and a woods full of smoke but aren’t ready to go completely old school, check out Knight Rifle’s TK2000 muzzleloading shotgun. Available in Realtree Xtra Green, this is the most advanced black-powder shotgun on the market. The TK2000 features an exclusive extra-full “jug” choke design that allows the shot to expand into the chamber, controls the shot string, then directs it into the extra-full choke tube. This system results in an incredible 85% pattern density in a 30-inch circle at 40 yards, rivaling many modern-day turkey guns.

Like most inline muzzleloaders, the TK2000 has a safety (a double system, actually) and a removable breech plug that allows for easy clean-up. Ignition comes in the form of the Knight Full Plastic Jacket system with a 209 shotgun primer, a No. 11 percussion cap or a musket cap.

Buy now: Knight Rifle’s TK2000 muzzleloading shotgun

All muzzleloading shotguns are loaded the same way. Since the bore sizes on most shotguns are 20-gauge or larger, .50-caliber pelletized powder won’t work. Instead, you’ll need to go with loose powder. FFg black powder is the traditional choice, but there are plenty of substitutes, like Triple 7 or Pyrodex. 

To begin the loading process, measure the appropriate powder charge and dump it down a clean and dry barrel. Powder charges vary by gun and powder type, but 60 grains is a good starting point when working up loads. The TK2000 is considered a magnum muzzleloader and can safely handle loads of up to 120 grains of powder. Consult your manufacturer’s recommendations when it comes to maximum loads. Starting on the low side allows you to check the pattern with each shot as you increase the powder charge, as each gun normally has a sweet spot where it offers maximum velocity without blowing the pattern apart.

Since the powder is loose at this point, a thin disk of cardboard called an overpowder, or nitro, card is next tamped down the barrel to pack the charge tightly in the chamber.

Heavy loads of powder can often blow out a shot pattern, so many turkey hunters next tamp a cushioned wad down the barrel to protect the shot from expanding gasses as it exits the firearm. These wads are often made of felt, paper, or synthetic fiber material, and can come in lubed or dry form. They are often a quarter inch or more in thickness.

For magnum turkey loads, other shotgunners forego the thick cushion wads and replace them with a modern plastic shot cup. These cups will hold up to 2 1/2 ounces of shot, and keep the shot string together for several feet as it exits the barrel before the cup slows down and peels away, letting the pellets continue on unimpeded to the target. This results in a much tighter pattern at longer ranges. To load a plastic wad, simply substitute it for the overpowder card.

The next step in loading is the shot itself. Shot material can be traditional lead or any of the more modern heavier-than-lead materials on the market. Shot loads can vary by gun from as small as 1 1/2 ounces all the way up to 3 ounces. Start at the lower end of the spectrum and gradually work your way up until you find the payload that works best with your individual gun. 

Shot sizes can range from No. 4 down to No. 7 or even smaller with some of the modern heavy materials. Check your state laws for legal shot sizes allowed where you hunt. Many longtime muzzleloading turkey hunters prefer a blend of two or more sizes of shot for maximum pattern size and energy at various ranges. Time spent at the range will tell you what blends or shot size patterns best in your firearm. While most modern firearms, even the reproductions, can safely handle non-toxic shot, check with the manufacturer before using it in older firearms. 

To hold the shot tightly inside the barrel, an overshot card, similar to the overpowder card mentioned earlier but slightly thinner, is tamped down tightly over the shot charge to finish off the load. The overshot card will hold the shot together tightly, no matter the downward angle of the barrel. 

Once you have the perfect load worked up for your gun, pre-measure shot charges before the hunt and store them in a plastic reloader to carry afield. An adjustable powder measure or a tube that holds the exact powder charge can be used to quickly obtain the exact charge you need for reloads. Powder can be pre-measured and stored as well, but make certain you keep it in watertight containers. 

Ignition for your load depends on the type of muzzleloader you have. Traditional flintlocks, No. 11 or musket caps, or modern 209 primers are all common in muzzleloading shotguns. Since both blackpowder and its substitutes are hygroscopic, meaning they absorb water from the atmosphere, care should be taken to limit moisture from entering the powder charge. Modern 209 primers and No. 11 or musket caps fit tightly enough to seal the breech from moisture. Traditional flintlock shooters often use an oiled leather cover that protects the entire lock area from moisture. With any muzzleloader style, a piece of electrical tape stretched tightly over the end of the barrel will prevent water from entering and won’t alter the shot pattern at all.

Are turkeys challenging enough to kill without having to find the perfect load, call them in extra close, and limiting yourself to a single shot? Of course they are. But the satisfaction you feel when you do all of that and still take that trophy bird makes it worth it. 

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